[ Jen took a deep breath and slowly let it out from her nose. easy. calm. the point was made so there's no need to do anything more with that brief spark of anger. tamp it down, put it away, it was enough.

though there's still some resentment there. Jen took it almost as an accusation. after the work she's put in so far into trying to actually form a meaningful bond here, it would be the absolute worst to have unwarranted jealousy tear all that to shreds. ]

I'm sorry if I put it into your head that she could be that kind of person. I'd take that... seed of an idea back if I could. I don't know her. Like, at all. But I'll say one thing I do know for sure — how you look at her is the most important thing in the world.

[ that tone of hers sure took a nosedive for the melancholy. ] She'll know. We always know.